Steering dampers

[Wicked_Crash]

I was just looking at steering dampers and they are fricken expensive!! I have never used a damper before so I wanted to check with the rest of you TTers on how they worked. Do they make the steering stiffer, harder to turn into tight corners? Or do they just act as shock absorbers? For $400+ they better do a whole lot! If they are worth it, does anybody know where I can get one cheaper and have any suggestions on what brand to buy? I appreciate all of your thoughts. ?

[Dougie]

Best money I ever spent. It I had it all over to do again, the only aftermarket part I would get for my bike is the dampner.

[Mark_UK]

managed to find a WER damper for £250 picking it up tomorow,,(is that a good price?)

along with all black plastics (woohoooo found emm finally),

new tires,(michelin m12's)

new o'ring chain and aluminium/steel/titanium sprocket.

ands maybe an hydraulic clutch (still undecided about that one)

[Joel_Gibson]

My GPR Stabilizer works really well and has saved me from crashing numerous times. Pay the money for a good one, you won't regret it.

[jamracing]

Mark, I think you're paying allot for the WER. Here in the States they are allot less, but maybe with all the wonderful taxes over there, it gets REALLY PRICEY...

[Wicked_Crash]

Any idea about where I can get one cheap? Also what do think is the best brand for the money?

[robswr426]

i'm thing of selling my scotts stabelizer and triple clamp for $300 if your interested you can email me at robswr426@cox.net

sorry guys it's sold

[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: robswr426 ]

[Scuba_Steve]

I bought a Scotts as part of a kit that included a new upper triple clamp, risers, the special handlebar clamp that the damper bolts to, a new Renthal Fatbar, and the damper unit itself. I got the kit from Baja Designs for $700. I probably saved $100 with the kit versus buying everything separately.

I needed advice when I mounted the unit (I got the bolt-on variety) and the folks at Scotts were very helpful - no complaints there!

The damper totally improves the ride. It eliminates headshake and prevents your front wheel from gettting slammed in the event you hit a rock. It takes a little getting used to at first, and you need to fiddle with the adjustments to get the "feel". Once you have it fitured out, you won't ride without one.

I love the Scotts but I guess the GPR is good too!

[A_McDaniel]

Just got a GPR and up to last weekend I have never crashed. With it I crashed big and don't know why, what do you guys run your dampers at? Hopefully I will just need to get used to it and will grow to love it.

GPR service is top notch and Randy stands behind his stuff.

Scotts service is bad and they are expensive.

[Private_Joker]

Rob,

I e-mailed and pm'd you about the damper and top clamp.

Mike

[MX_Tuner]

Scuba Steve, Scotts has the same package deal (triple clamps, damper and installation hardware and Pro-Tapers) for $599 retail price.

[Dodger]

I'll 2nd, or 3rd, or whatever place I am in line, that!!!

Bought a Scotts a month and a half ago, just like everyone else, I'll never ride without one again. Someone once put it to me this way, "if it saves you from even 1 trip to the hospital, it paid for itself". I thought that was pretty sound thinking.

Ok, my $.04 on how they work. Sounds weird, but the funny thing is for the most part, you don't even realize that you have a dampener on, UNTIL you hit something!! I ride very tight, rocky, single track trails here in CO, and never have a problem with the dampener restricting my unforeseen turning. One thing that I found, is I really count on my dampener for the higher speed stuff, so I don't really crank up the slow speed dampening much. It's just what works for me.

Hope you find the will to save up for one, it's going to be the best upgrade you've done to date !!

Late

Dodger ?

[The_Missile]

I have a favorite run which includes a 100m long rocky path : football sized ones stuck in the ground. They are most definately in command without my scotts... I was constantly fighting the handlebars as they got whipped about.

With my Scotts the, bars still move but they dont get wrenched about. I am far more confident of not ending up on the floor.

As for high speed...I KNOW they saved my butt from at least 2 trips to the hospital.

[Scuba_Steve]

MXTuner,

I freaked out when I read your message - I went back through my stuff to check what I paid, and thankfully it was $599! I had forgotten that I bought other stuff at the time!

[Dan_from_HB]

I will eventually get a GPR, just not now. I have to buy 3 of everything (I have two sons that ride as well), so cost is a consideration. I am not hearing good things about Scott's here on TT. I also know of at least two instances where a Scott's locked up (one was Dan Lorenze, a TT member). I was right behind him when it happened. Probably just a piece of grit in an orifice or something, but it was a hairy moment!

Dan

[MX_Tuner]

Dan, I've never heard anything bad about Scotts dampers here. Maybe I just haven't seen the posts but I've never met anyone that wasn't tickled with their Scotts. I'm sure there may be a problem *sometimes*, but considering how many more Scotts dampers are out there than everything else combined, it has to be for good reasons. With steering dampers, you get what you pay for.

[Bill]

I'll agree with Tuner. I've never heard anything bad about the Scotts, other than cost. The GPR comes highly regarded as well and for less money with the WER bringing up the back of the pack.

I also had a hard time paying $400 for something that did not add horspower and is the size of a can of chew. I do have to say it may not make HP but, does make me faster on the trail and track.

Bill

[Dan_from_HB]

MXTuner, Bill,

On several earlier posts, there were a number of riders who complained about the unit wearing out, sudden drop in performance, etc. All complained that when the unit needed service for anything, it was a $90 bill from Scotts. One guy's unit was only a couple weeks old, as I recall. Several friends have had great performance from theirs, several have experienced same as the aforementioned TTers. I've ridden a number of bikes with Scott's installed and they work great, but in the last 3 weeks, I have heard from one person about a lock-up, and experienced it second-hand 50 ft behind another.

You are probably right, there are lots of units out there, hence more horror stories even if the vast majority of units are fine. It's just that many seem to be quite impressed with GPR's quality, service, and assistance and a bit disappointed at Scott's.

No doubt I'll wind up with one or the other. I want to pull my forks up a bit further in the clamps, and don't want headshake in high-speed sandwashes. My only issue is $600 X 3= $1800! I am in the middle of a house remodel working with roughly 1/2 my normal income. I think I'll wait just a bit longer.

Dan

[endurodog]

Ok I'll jump in the middle of this one. I have a WER, have had it since June of 97 and I love it. I have had it rebuilt once and have rebuilt it once my self. I put lots of miles on a bike too. I ride the entire RMEC enduro curcuit and many of the Texas TSCEC races. I run the long course plus all the play riding and one trip to the Colorado 500, we actually did 730 miles that week. So I have lots of miles on the WER. I run it on my race bike which is a 2002 YZ250 now but it has been on my 97 YZ250 and my 99 YZ250. So I guess you could say I believe in the WER. For what its worth.

[Buckholz]

Info-

Scott's is actually an Ohlins - Scott's is the only distributor in the US.

I run a WER, have raced with Scotts. They are all best for high speed racing, and mostly they help fight fatigue.

If they were all the same price, I'd buy a Scotts/Ohlins.

As it is, I rarely race desert anymore, and the WER mounts down low, outta the way, so when I run a steering damper, it's a WER. BTW, I've had it rebuilt twice by WER since maybe '95.